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Evolution of the “alliance for oil exploration” on the eve of the signing of the demarcation agreement

American mediator Amos Hochstein, the godfather of American mediation in the agreement (Hussein Beydoun)

American broker Amos Hochstein arrives in Beirut today, Wednesday, to finalize the deal demarcation of the maritime border The southern border between Lebanon and the Israeli occupation state, to meet tomorrow morning, Thursday, with Lebanese officials, before moving to Naqoura – headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force “UNIFIL”, where the last steps are taken for the ‘entry into force of the agreement, as announced by the US embassy in Lebanon.

And the US embassy said in its statement today Wednesday that “the two sides will provide maritime coordinates to the United Nations tomorrow in the presence of the United States, and then Hochstein will travel to Israel, where he will meet Prime Minister Yair Lapid. and thank him and his team for their persistent and principled diplomacy in order to reach a solution on this. ” sensitive dossier.

At a time when Lebanese officials confirmed that the exploratory train would leave as soon as the deal was signed, Lebanon today gave “exceptional” approval to the decision to give up a company’s share. Total The French 40% of the company “DAJA 216”, owned by “Total”, to conduct exploration operations in blocks 4 and 9.

A Lebanese energy ministry source told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that: “The approval initially given is exceptional, given that the government is in a state of affairs and that the oil law and the agreement that will be signed to allow the right holder to waive his oil right to a qualifying company after reviewing his file, This waiver is subject to the approval of the Cabinet.

He added: “The assignment was carried out by Total at Daga, but only temporarily for a period of 3 months, and in the event that the company does not secure the transfer of its stake to an international company to carry out oil activities with a good and qualified reputation and is not subject to US sanctions, so state ownership will return, as well as the case at the Lebanese state level giving up its 20% stake, to which it moved after the withdrawal of the Russian company Novatek to because of the US sanctions on it, to a new company.

The source specified that “the Lebanese state cannot entrust a Lebanese company to carry out exploration operations, and this is a condition of … Conditions contained in the Maritime Delimitation Agreement According to the American formula, and the same goes for the Israeli side, from here the Lebanese state has transferred its shares to a non-Lebanese company, which is Qatar, and its stake will be announced at a later date. .

According to the agreement that Lebanon and Israel will sign on Thursday, the content of which was leaked in Arabic to the media, the two sides must agree that the relevant legal entity enjoying Lebanese rights to explore and develop hydrocarbon resources in the Lebanese block No . 9, should be one or more reputable, international, non-international sanctioned companies that do not prevent the continued facilitation of the United States and that are not Israeli or Lebanese companies, and these terms also apply to the choice of any successor companies or substitutes.

One of the terms of the agreement states: “The parties understand that Israel and the Block 9 operator are engaged separately in discussions to determine the extent of Israel’s economic rights from the potential field. Israel will receive compensation from the Block 9 operator for the rights to it from any potential stock in the potential field. “

He adds: “To this end, Israel, the Block 9 operator, and Israel will enter into a financial agreement prior to the final investment decision by the Block 9 operator. Israel should work in good faith with the Block 9 operator. to ensure that this agreement is terminated in a timely manner Lebanon is not responsible for any agreement between the operator of Block 9 and Israel and neither party.

He continued: “No agreement between the operator of Block 9 and Israel will affect the agreement concluded between Lebanon and the operator of Block 9, nor on Lebanon’s full share of its economic rights in the potential field. The parties also understand that is subject to the start of the implementation of the financial agreement, the approved operator of Block 9 will depart from Lebanon, to develop the entire potential field exclusively for the benefit of Lebanon, in accordance with the provisions of this agreement.

And the Lebanese Energy Minister in the interim government, Walid Fayyad, had previously revealed “Qatar’s desire to join the alliance to explore Block 4 and 9 oil, in light of the Russian company Novatek’s withdrawal due to US sanctions. , knowing that he owns 20% of the alliance. “

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